Perhaps you started on the mini-golf course or realized how much you enjoy driving ranges. Whatever prompted your migration to the real thing, you have probably realized that the game is more than strolling on the green or racing other players in your golf cart. The game is not exactly easy, and if yours is not improving the way you had hoped, review a few reasons why this might be.

Why Your Golf Game May Not Be Up to Snuff

1. The Wrong Clubs

The wrong golf clubs throw off your swing and overall form. If you have not gotten your swing speed tested at your local golf store, now is the time to do that, so you are matched with the right clubs. A swing speed of less than 60 miles per hour, for example, requires a 3-iron, while a speed between 75 and 84 mph needs a 5-iron.

Shaft flexibility is also key--if your swing is on the slower end, you need a club with a flexible graphite shaft to make the ball go further. If your swing is on the speedier side, a rigid steel shaft is best to improve consistency and accuracy. You also need the correct clubhead--heavier blade clubheads offer the control and consistency you want if your handicap is low, while full-cavity clubheads with hollowed-out portions help get the ball in the air if your handicap is high.

2. Not Enough Practice

As with most things in life, you need to practice your golf game. Playing once or twice a month and expecting improvements is an extraordinarily lofty goal, so why not spend more time on the course? Practicing three or four times a week for an hour and a half each is the only way your game is going to improve. If you are serious about the sport, put the time in; otherwise, it is just a fun recreational activity that includes periodic rides in small carts.

3. Refusing Help

Refusing to let a more experienced golfer help you with your form and anything else affecting your game is just plain silly. Whether the seasoned expert is a friend, family member, or someone at the local range, it pays to have a little help. Unless you have someone following you around the course with a full-length mirror, you cannot see what small mistakes you are making that are affecting your game in a huge way. The feedback and corrections an experienced golfer provides are invaluable if you are determined to improve.

Royal Kunia Country Club is the glorious public golf course in Waipahu, HI, that sits above the Ewa Plains. Only a 30-minute drive from North Shore and Waikiki, this heavenly course with six water features and 99 bunkers is the perfect place to improve your game. A golf store and restaurant are also on premise. Call (808) 688-9222 to book your tee time or visit the website to learn more.