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Aside from the obvious – they all swing the club brilliantly and are capable of getting up and down from anywhere – what is it that all the great golfers do that, perhaps, we don’t?
What makes them so consistent? What can we learn? We frequently ask the world’s best players to share their top tips and advice.So, here’s our list of the 10 things all great golfers do…
1. Practice With Purpose
Hands up who goes down the range with the sole intention of smashing the driver for half an hour.
The pros may have more time to practice – given that it’s their job – but everyone should learn how to get the most from a range session.
Watch any tour pro on the range and you’ll see how they structure their time.
The focus is on quality over quantity. They’ll have a specific goal, and rarely will a ball be struck without a purpose. Many follow these simple practice tips.
Rory McIlroy on the range ahead of the 2025 Masters
2. Stick To A Routine
Every pro has one. Having the same routine helps players to stay in the moment.
In pressure situations, if you can stick to your pre shot routine, you’ll feel more in control of the situation.
3. Find Ways To Improve
Rest on your laurels at the top of this game and someone will come along and take your place.
That’s why the best in the business never stop trying to find ways to improve.
Look at Bryson DeChambeau. Not satisfied with being one of best players in the world in the 2018/19 season, he hit the gym to add game-changing length to his armoury.
4. Take Their Medicine
We’ve all been there: we follow up one error with another one. It’s so avoidable, too. It’s quite rare to see a Tour pro play two poor shots in a row.
So, the next time you find a fairway bunker off the tee, just get it back out. You know full well that hybrid is going to catch the lip.
5. Use The Gym
Very few modern players don’t use the gym. We know this because they share their daily routines on social media to make us feel bad.
Strength work was very in even before DeChambeau started bragging about his super human powers. Was Tiger Woods the instigator?
Who knows, but you’d be hard pressed now to find a tour pro that doesn’t do any gym work whatsoever.
The top golfers all spend plenty of time in the gym
6. Thrive Under Pressure
Woods immediately springs to mind. The greats relish the heat of battle and don’t shy away come the big moments.
Some players are born with this ability. The very best to have played the game – the Tigers, the Players, the Nicklaus’ – always seemed to find another level when they were under the gun – which is some quality to have.
7. Exude Confidence
Similarly, the best players always look in control. Body language is key.
How many players has Woods have seen off over the years simply by the way he presents himself, especially on the back nine?
8. Scramble Well
Of all the technical skills and different performance categories within the game, this would be the one area that separates the best from the rest.
The cream of the crop have the ability to return a respectable score even when they’re not at their best; they’ll chip and putt all day to save a round, and usually follow it up with a low one in the sixties.
Seve Ballesteros was a master scrambler
9. Forget The Last Shot
Even the very best players suffer the odd shocker. We see tops, shanks and duffs, but the difference is, the pros have the mental strength to put a bad shot behind them. No dwelling.
10. Respect The Course
We’re talking course management. Even the most attacking players know when to go for the pin and when to play safe.
There’s no excuse for poor course management around your own track.
More often than not, dropped shots are down to poor shot execution at the top level. Course management errors are few and far between.
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