It's when you start to play golf that you learn fastest. If you have bad golfing habits today, you probably learned them when you first took up golf. But the good news is that anyone can break bad habits and learn good ones. Here are a couple of tips to help you on your way to playing better golf.

1. Your aim is vitally important. If you can't send the ball in the right direction you will never get it in any of the holes. The clubface is the only thing that propels the ball, so line up the clubface with the target first, then take your stance with your shoulders parallel to the target line.

2. Always aim away from potential problems. Tee the ball on the side where the problem is. This will help to keep the ball in play and avoid penalties.

3. Bad wrist action equals a bad shot in 90 percent of cases. Keep the left wrist flat in relation to the back of the left forearm and the back of the left hand, and don't swing the club back farther than shoulder turn.

4. Read the green properly. A ball will generally roll away from a hill and towards a water source. So, keep this in mind and adjust as necessary.

5. The grain of the green is important too as it effects the roll. Shiny grass show the grain running away from you, and dull grass highlights the grain running towards you. Putts with the grain go faster and further. Those against the grain go slower and less far.

6. Your shoulders should follow your swing. They should be passive and not lead. Remember that your shoulder movement will determine the direction that your club, and therefore the ball, will travel.

7. Place the golf ball on the ground and take your stance in such a way that the shadow of your head covers the ball. Make your swing keeping your eyes on the shadow. If the shadow moves off the ball you have lost the proper swing center. If you keep the shadow on the ball, even though it moves a little, you have maintained the correct swing position.

About The Author

Philip Lawrence is a sports writer with a local newspaper in northern Florida, where he lives with his wife and two teenage daughters. When he’s not writing he’s either playing golf or maintaining his website at: http://www.thezonegolf.com/.

Recently, an interesting email came across my desk. I'll paste it below.  Take a few seconds and read it, and see what you think. It's very interesting... Dear friend, In 2 weeks you'll be playing the BEST golf of your life... "I GUARANTEE You’ll Lengthen your Drive and Cut your Handicap by 7-12 Strokes in Just Two weeks." Unlock Your Hidden Potential by Discovering the Golf Swing that is Delivering Consistent, Accurate Distance to thousands of golfers world-wide. This Information can't be found ANYWHERE else NOW is the time to fix that golf swing, once and forever. Start hitting the Fairway! We have helped THOUSANDS of golfers world-wide. Consider this statement carefully...One great set of clubs PLUS one bad swing equals one golf ball in the water or out-of-bounds (and one or two strokes higher on your score card). We are here to help your game. Your GOLF SWING is what drives your score...not your clubs or the ball you play. That is the truth in simple terms. Is your golf swing is providing you with the results you need to compete? Are you throwing strokes away by topping, slicing or hooking the ball? How many penalty strokes do you...(please continue)