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One of golf's greatest strengths is that there are unlimited ways to play the game.

Strokes are very common, of course, and often very easy. Increase your score as you progress and the fewest shots win.

The reason why this game went to look at other ideas is that playing with a stroke is also a difficult way to play because it does not allow mistakes to be compounded. One bad hole early in the round and it's very difficult to play catch up.

The gameplay overcomes that problem by turning every round into an 18-part tournament so that mistakes can be cleared up quickly.

And there is Stableford which is a type of stroke play that limits the damaging effect of really big mistakes that in stroke play can make the rest of the round a waste of time.

What's fascinating is how playing different formats can improve your golf in different ways.

A tight golf course from the green to the green in stroke play may make it difficult to make putts until it is released in match play. It is possible that if he returns to the stroke game they will be careful with the putter. They may also learn a great lesson.

Similarly, playing regular stroke play may limit horizons while processing things through Stableford rounds may open up the golfer to attack the course rather than always playing carefully.

What other way can we play the game with long-term optimization in mind?

Four of clubs

Play a round with just four clubs.

The choice requires a little thought but that alone will lead to more positive thoughts.

You will have to think through every hole and consider your options.

What long club do you carry?! Do you take a putter or use another club on the greens?! Do you need a sand wedge or is that a waste?!

Here's the odd thing: talk to golfers who have tried this and they'll often tell you how well they played and what they learned.

One of my best rounds came when I got stuck in my golf swing and wanted to shake it up so I took just three clubs!

I found myself using a smart lesson plan, putting more thought into every shot rather than being mentally lazy on the holes I knew inside out, I committed myself to the shot. It was a revelation!

No yards

Go traditional.

There is no card. There is no stroke saver. There is no course map. No gadgets.

You will need a course with no pegs for 100 and 150 yards (unless you are mentally strong or visually impaired).

But just use your eyes.

Trust your golf instincts.

You will curse the idea at some point. Sometimes you'll wish you hadn't tried.

But you'll also learn valuable lessons that will pay dividends down the line.

And you'll know what information you really missed – and what information was just confusing.

There is no variation in practice

Give yourself a break and stretch when you get out of the car, and swing a few clubs before you hit the first tee.

But then? Not a single practice swing.

Not to a tee. Not on the fairway. Not in a bad way. Not near vegetables. Not to them.

See the gun. Think of a gun. Shoot the gun.

You'll learn more about what you know – and more about what you don't know.

How far along is the course?

Find a friend who plays with the same handicap. Let's say you're both 10 and the course is a par 72 with two nines of 36.

If you play 18 holes you get 82 shots. If you play nine you get 41.

Now how far can you go before you run out of shots?

The key to this is that by using your brain in a completely different way to negotiate a lesson you will free up your game, and your brain, to achieve something different (and hopefully profitable).

Best/worst football

This is a favorite sport for professionals when practicing although they tend to prefer the latter.

It's a great game for self-study (in fact, it shouldn't be done with someone behind you).

Beginners may prefer a better ball. You hit two balls from the tee, pick the best one, hit two more from there and so on.

For beginners this can be a great introduction to what you really know.

Hard work is very bad football.

He once again hits two off the tee but this time picks the worst and hits two from there.

It's difficult. It introduces discipline and demands concentration.

You can understand why the experts love it.

And you can appreciate why no club in the world would want duffers and thugs playing in front of another team!

But under the right conditions and circumstances it has real value for all of us.

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