Have you ever played golf with a client, teed it up in a Corporate or Charity golf tournament, been paired up with strangers or been invited to a friend’s course to play golf?

If you answered yes, there are a few things you can do to look like a pro, even if you don’t shoot in the 70’s.

1. Ditch the Ball Retriever: If you have a ball retriever in your bag it indicates you have a lack of confidence. It also shows you aren’t willing to shell out for new balls. Not great when trying to impress a client.

2. Don’t use the Free Plastic Ball Marker you Get at the Course: Watch any Tour player next weekend on TV.

I guarantee none of them use a plastic marker.

The majority will use a coin. Often it has some significance but it could just be a spare Loonie you have in your pocket.

Bedazzled markers that clip to your visor are fine, ladies, but don’t even think about using the button on your glove. That is,um, …’bush’ league.

3. When you Putt – Take Off your Glove: Many ladies and some men I teach at my golf schools have never thought to take off their glove.

Feel is a huge part of putting. Give it a try. When you take your glove off, the base of the glove goes in your back pocket, fingers out.

Again, check out what the pros do.

*Special note: Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer putted with their gloves on, no question it worked for them.

The majority of the new generation of touring pros do not.

4. Have a Set Place for Each Golf Club:
When I look at a player’s bag that has their 8-iron beside their 5-wood …beside their 5-iron, I shake my head.

It looks ‘chopper’. They should be arranged in consecutive numbers and grouped in sections.

It also helps you realize in a hurry if you left a club on the fairway.

5. Mark your Golf Balls: When you stand on the 1st hole make sure you mark your ball and a couple of extras with a Sharpie.

You can mark it with one dot, two dots, circle the number on the ball, your choice….just make sure you mark it.

If you play competitive golf or intend to you have to do it and again, it looks like you know what you are doing.

6. Use a larger towel to clean your clubs: Pros use a large towel to clean their clubs throughout the round.

Having the towel that clips to your bag with a carabineer is better than not having one but a large towel indicates you are a player.

Make sure to wet a substantial corner of it before your round and actually use it to clean the groves of your club when you make a shot.