“The average golfer’s problem is not so much a lack of ability as it is a lack of knowing what he should do.”
Five Lessons, Ben Hogan, p. 97

“To improve your golf the first stage is not necessarily to change your swing, but to learn to do your best swing more often.”
The Golf Handbook for Women, Vivien Saunders, p. 92

“It is true that if you cannot putt you cannot win, for no hole is won until the ball is down—but good scores are only made possible by good play up to the green.”
On Learning Golf, Percy Boomer, p. 221

“I can outhit many men, much to their embarrassment, for suddenly they are pitting…their strength against mine. That’s foolish. They aren’t competing with my strength; they’re competing with the efficiency of my swing.”
Play Golf the Wright Way, Mickey Wright, p. 33

“The average golfer’s chances of developing good judgement are better than his chances of radically transforming his golf swing.”
The Elements of Scoring, Raymond Floyd, p. 73

“Check out the country club scene and you’ll find that the guys beating everyone’s brains out are mostly the players who happily drive 225 to 230 yards down the middle, knock it on the green more often than not with ample club and well-controlled swings, and, when they don’t, own sharp enough short games to get up and down two of three times.”
My Golden Lessons, Jack Nicklaus, p. 166

“The shortest route to improvement is to get on the green in fewer strokes.”
Hale Irwin, Golf Digest, January 2010, p. 98.

And two from The Recreational golfer:
“The one feeling you should have before every shot is athletic confidence in your ability to hit the shot well. If you’re not feeling that, well, good luck.”

“Play a practice round where any shot can be repeated, but only once. If your mulligan is more like it, your mind wasn’t ready the first time. Work on that. If the mulligan is just as bad, this to a shot you need to practice.”