Whenever you step on to the golf course you have as much chance of winning as anyone
and this should instil a level of confidence into players of all ability. Every golfer wants to reduce his or her handicap as this shows that your game is improving. The problem is the amount of time you have to practise and improve may not be much.
As with other sports practise makes perfect and unless you are born with a natural talent then you have to work at it week in, week out. Even the professionals and best players in the world have had to train and practise to be where they are today. One of the main problems when starting out, and even for more experienced golfers for that matter is confidence.
Confidence is definitely required and in order to be the best you must believe in your ability.
If you play a bad shot or misjudge the distance then put it down to experience, learn from it and move on. You cannot dwell on what may have been in golf as if you are not fully concentrating then you are likely to hit a poor next shot. In the UK the weather can change quickly so what may have been enough to reach the green on one hole may come up short on the next. This is something that you will learn to judge as you improve your game.
Your swing is obviously something that you need to work on as that is going to determine how straight you are going to hit the ball. If you can start driving the ball well then this sets up an easier second shot which in turn gets you in a better position on the green. On your drive you do not need to try and take the skin off the ball as it is more about technique than power. Im not saying power doesnt help but all power and no technique will mean you are driving into the trees and bunkers more often than the fairway.
Make sure your swing for all shots is a comfortable one and follow through to ensure you strike the ball well. It is a slowly but surely tactic needed in golf and staying calm and having belief in your ability will see your golf handicap come down over time. Who knows you may be facing the likes of Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy before you know it.