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The biggest source of wasted strokes for most amateurs is poor course management!

Sometimes their egos get them to try shots they can not pull off with any consistency and gets them into even more trouble, resulting in higher scores.

Let's start on the tee. If you have a habit of slicing the ball, go to the right side of the tee markers. You'll be surprised how much wider the fairway looks. Hookers should go to the left side as that gives them more margin of error.

Bunkers, water hazards and out of bounds can be your friends, too. They tell you to stay away! Play away from the trouble. So if there is OB or a water hazard to the right, tee off on that side of the tee and aim more to the left. It's better to be hitting two from the left rough than having to re-tee, hitting three, or taking the penalty stroke for going into the water.

If you are not having any success with your driver, try one of your fairway woods, or even an iron, off the tee to stay out of trouble. The touring professionals do this all the time to avoid strategically-placed fairway bunkers. Long hitters sometimes challenge these bunkers

Smart course management also means taking your medicine and using an iron to get back in play rather than risk trying to hit it all the way to the green with a wood. If you recall, this paid off with major titles--a U.S. Open for Payne Stewart and a PGA Championship for David Toms--when they both played safe and wedged to within range for saving pars on the final hole.

On the other hand, Jean Van de Velde, went for the green on the final hole of the British Open and lost a three-stroke advantage, eventually losing a playoff to Paul Laurie.

On par-5s, do not just automatically hit a fairway wood for your second shot. Do as the pros do. If they can not get home in two, then they play to a distance where they can hit a fuller shot and get more spin in the ball. The toughest shots in golf are the ones inside 50 yards.

Professionals playing in pro-ams say that most of their amateurs come up short on their approach shots since they do not hit enough club. Do not base club selections just on yardage only. An uphill shot will definitely call for one or two more clubs usually. Factor in more club when hitting into the wind--one club for every 10 mph of wind. If there is a bunker in front, also hit more club than usual, especially if you have trouble with these types of shots. The same is true for water in front of a green.

Play your approach shots to the fat part of the green. Do not get short-sided, leaving your approach right of the green when the pin is cut close to the right side. This makes for a lot tougher chip or pitch. Even a longer putt or a chip from the left side of the green is easier.

Insert
Here are couple suggestions on how to avoid being „short-sided.‰ If the flag is on the left, play the ball back in your stance since this reduces the chances of pulling the ball. Vice versa, playing ball forward will help promote a pull if the flag is on the right. Insert

If there is a severe slope from back to front on a green, then it might be wiser to hit less club and even come up short rather than facing an almost sure three putt from above the cup.

If there is a tree or trees blocking your approach, consider taking a less lofted club and going under rather than trying to go over. If you do decide to take the aerial route, then play the ball off your left foot and take a more lofted club. Or chip back to the fairway if you have any doubts at all.

While it is important to warm up on the range, do not neglect to hit some putts on the practice green to get a feel for the speed of the greens. More three putts are the result of being long or short rather than being off line.

One of the best ways to learn course management is to watch the better players, or even to take a playing lesson.

Savvy course management may be the quickest way for you to lower your score.