Rory McIlroy clears up worst mistake amateur golfers can make and how to rectify it

Rory McIlroy has shared a keen piece of advice for amateur golfers desperate to improve their game. Part-time players can only dream of playing like the five-time major champion, but they can lower their handicap by taking a sensible, albeit “boring”, piece of guidance from the Northern Irishman.

McIlroy often tees up with amateur players and celebrities on the eve of tournaments and there are a number of pro-am events on the PGA Tour. Understandably, many pick his brain on improving their game but, according to McIlroy, they often ask the wrong questions.

Speaking after the recent Travelers Championship, the Masters champion said: “I’ll certainly help them to read a green. But the last thing they need is more swing thoughts in their head when they’re playing in these pro-ams.”

Rather than asking him how to improve their swing, players would be better off improving their course management and playing within their ability.

McIlroy said: “I think sometimes it’s just they try to take shots on or they try to hit a shot that they probably could pull off once or twice out of 10 instead of playing a little bit more percentage. That’s boring, but that’s certainly the most effective way to lower your score.”

Meanwhile, McIlroy is resetting his focus and his schedule in order to be on top form for Europe’s defence of the Ryder Cup. Finishing a distant seventh to Open champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was not how he wanted to end his major season, especially on home soil at Royal Portrush.

But having shown he is over the blip he encountered after his Masters win, which completed the career Grand Slam in April, the 36-year-old is keen to save his best for Bethpage in New York this September.

He still has the FedEx Cup play-offs to navigate, although he has skipped the first leg of the play-offs, the St Jude Championship. But his real motivation comes the following month, which is why he will not be playing much as he looks to retain his sharpness.

He said: “I feel like being back in Europe for a bit was a nice reset. I feel like I’m getting back to where I want to be and we’ve still got a lot of golf left this year with obviously Ryder Cup being the big one in there in September.

“I don’t want to play too much leading up to that because I want to be fresh, so I’m looking forward to a few weeks off here. I’ll reflect on what’s already been a good year and start to get myself ready for that run up to the Ryder Cup.”

That good year began with victory at the Pebble Beach Pro-am in February and the Players Championship in March before the big one at Augusta the following month. He has not won since, while Scheffler has four victories, including two majors in The Open and US PGA, and therefore momentum.

McIlroy thinks the sharpness he had at the start of the year has returned but insists his rival’s success is not a motivating factor, adding: “Yeah, I do feel good. But I also had the three wins when Scottie wasn’t quite on his game.

“All I can do is focus on myself and try to play the best golf that I can. I know that, when I do that, I’ll have my weeks where I’ll contend and hopefully win.”