We've never known more about the swing, enjoyed better conditioned golf courses, or used more advanced and forgiving equipment than we do today. So why hasn't the average amateur handicap dropped in 50 years while the pros continue to set scoring benchmarks that would make Hugh Hefner jealous? Forget Ben Hogan's mantra! The secret to success won't be found only through digging dirt on the practice range (although practice certainly helps). The first clue might just lie in new studies by the world's leading performance researchers, psychologists and kinesiology experts. These scientists haven't discovered a new way to swing drivers, irons and wedges, but rather how we learn to swing these clubs. Getting in touch with their findings may hold the secret key to releasing the low handicapper within.

1. Elevate Your Goals
The more precise you aim, the higher you'll climb

The Problem
You have a strong desire to improve, but you're not really doing anything concrete to get there. "Setting a goal of simply 'playing better' won't get the job done," says Dr. Christina.

The Solution
"Research shows that if you commit to improving by defining specific and moderately challenging goals, you'll learn a motor skill (like releasing the clubhead) faster," says Dr. Christina. "It also suggests that the longer you commit to playing the game, the better you'll perform."

The Science That Proves It
Dr. Gary McPherson, a professor of music education at the University of Illinois School of Music, asked 157 children picking up an instrument for the first time a simple question: "How long do you think you'll play your new instrument?" He sorted the children based on their answers and tracked their performance over several years using a standard musical-skill scale. McPherson discovered that progress in learning the instrument wasn't dependent on aptitude, but by the goal set by the child. With the same amount of practice, the kids who voiced a long-term commitment outperformed those who intended to play only through the school year by 400 percent [see graph]. "Although the benefits of goal setting haven't extensively been studied in golf," says Dr. Christina, "the McPherson data and research with other motor skills suggest that they'll translate very well to what you do with a club in your hands."

COLD HARD FACT

A golfer who commits to "playing my whole life" will out-learn someone who wants to play for a year or two, even if they have identical skill levels and practice the same amount of time.

400% The increase in skill learning when long-term goals are paired with high levels of practice