text: Don't worry about your total score, especially while playing.  You should just focus on each shot one at a time and at the end of the round, add em up and see what you got.\n\nThe important thing is to have fun and enjoy the game.\n\nThe one advice I can give you is to allocate at least 50% of your practice time to your short game.  Specifically, 100 yards in.  This is were you will shave off the most stokes.  Improve your short game now, so that when your body matures and your start hitting the ball farther, your scores will begin to improve dramatically.\n\nI would also recommend reading "Golf is not a game of perfect" by Dr. Bob Rotella.  This is an awesome book that talks about the psychology of the game and course management.\n\nIf you practice smartly now, it will pay big dividends down the road.\n\nBy the way, I am currently 37 and carry 0.2 USGA handicap index.  I started playing when I was 12 and when I was 14, I was playing bogie golf (shooting 45ish for 9 holes and 90ish for 18).  I used the practice strategy I mentioned above and when I was approximately 16 or 17, I went from driving the ball from around 240 yards up to 300 yards.  During that same time frame, my score dropped from the mid 80s down to the low 70s.  This literally happened over the course of a couple months.  I went on to play high school  and college golf.\n\nAnyway, just have fun, keep a good attitude and enjoy the outdoors.  Best of luck,