We've brought in the help of an elite golfer to share some simple and easily applicable tips on what not to do on the golf course.

Josh Trunkfield is a British professional golfer, and the Head Professional at Golfclub am Donnersburg, located outside of Frankfurt, Germany. With an impressive track record of numerous wins, the latest one being the Azores Pro Am back in October, and a mind-blowing portfolio of visiting over 250+ golf clubs, Josh also has years of experience as a coach and instructor for everything between beginner golfers and scratch golfers.

Josh was kind enough to share some of the biggest mistakes that he commonly observes from players on the field. So grab your notebook and learn a thing or two about how you can improve your game with these five simple adjustments to have a good run on the field and reach better scores while having much fun!

1) Don’t “underclub”!

When golf courses are designed, 90% of the time, the trouble is short of the green! Play a club more towards the last third of the green, so even if you mis-hit it, you will carry the trouble at the front! More often than not, the hazards are short of the green not behind! That said, as much as we love the lob wedge, the pitching wedge will do just fine.

2) Don’t concentrate too much on the flag, too many people get sucked in!

Unless you are playing St Andrews, the greens won’t be that big, so if you aim for the middle of the green, you can two-putt to anywhere regardless of where the hole is located! Apply this when having a session on the practice green; aim for the center of the green rather than the flag to establish the routine.

3) Don’t show fairway bunkers too much respect!

Most fairway bunkers are relatively straightforward and not that penal (unlike out-of-bounds or water to get out of), so don’t show them too much respect by laying back 30-40 meters with the wrong club or wrong type of swing.

4) Don’t always take the sand wedge when chipping during your short game!

Most of the time, it is far easier to chip with a 9 iron. With a 9 iron, the ball way will fly lower and roll more, and it's much easier to predict where the ball should land. Depending on how fast the greens are and what golf balls you're using etc, it is approximately 50% flight and 50% roll. The other advantages of doing this are as the ball is rolling more, it's easier to read the green, and because you need less swing with a 9 iron than with a SW there is much more room for error, and easier to strike the ball correctly, making your next shot much easier. Always take an extra second to figure out which is the right club.

5) Don’t open the club face too much for bunker shots!

It is one of the most occurring golf swing mistakes is usually in the bunker. Unless the bunker is extremely deep, play it square! The standard SW has 56 degrees which is more than enough to get the ball up and out quickly! By not opening the face, you don’t have to cut across the ball so much, and when the ball lands on the green, it won’t spin to the right as much and will result in more good shots and eliminate long putts.

Golf is a neverending maze of continuous development and breaking bad habits that are curable both on the driving range and on the field. If you spend time gradually applying these critical elements, you will be surprised by the rapid improvements you'll achieve and essentially become a better golfer. Most courses come with outstanding training facilities with features that will help you improve every aspect of your game. Book your next golf trip right here and let's get started, good luck!