Many of us burn a lot of strokes three-putting more often than we should. Part of the problem is technical. Reading greens is hard. But part of it is mental. The research reveals a surprising cause of that problem—and an effective solution.

Greenside bunkers add strokes to our score. But most of the problem is psychological. Bunkers create fear and doubt, which directly affects our swing. Today, we’ll learn one simple drill that can help us overcome our bunkerphobia for good.

At the start of the week, we learned that changing targets is one of the fastest ways to lower your score. But understanding yardage may have an even bigger impact. It all comes down to understanding the “distance bracket” for each club.

“Aim small, miss small” is one of golf’s most trusted concepts. Pros swear by it. But does it really work for the rest of us? Today, we’ll look at some research that might change your mind—and save you a lot of stress and a few strokes as well.

Is it better to aim at a distant target, like the flag or a spot in the fairway—or is it more effective to aim at an intermediate target a few feet in front of the ball? Dr. Bob Christina and PGA Master Teacher Eric Alpenfels help us zero in on the answer.

Michelle Wie was hailed as the next Tiger. Those expectations, combined with injuries, almost derailed her career. Today, we’ll learn the mantra that helped her (and can help us) get back to playing our best: “Don’t fight it. Embrace it.”

What is mental toughness? According to many champions, it’s not just about resilience. It’s also about getting aggressive when you need to. Se Ri Pak learned this lesson the hard way—and her mantra reflects that toughness: “Attack the course.”

Have you ever lost your passion for golf? You’re not playing well, you practice less, and then play worse. Today, Nancy Lopez shares two simple words from her father that helped her break that vicious cycle: “Play happy.”

It’s instructive to hear the mantras that champions used when they were amateurs like us. Today, we’ll learn how a rookie named Annika Sorenstam cut a familiar mantra down until there was nothing in her mind but “Fairways-greens.”

In only 14 years on the LPGA tour, Mickey Wright won 82 tournaments, including 13 majors. Today, we’ll learn a tee shot mantra she used to find more fairways, especially under pressure. And all it takes is three words: “Make it disappear.”