Break 80 ..Question of all you single digit handicapers out their ..

Hi everyone

Im bouncing around in the 80s the past few months.Usually between 82 and 86 and I would really like to break 80.

What I was wondering was can ye guys remember any specific thing that helped you break through.

I realise your experience might not be specific to me but I would like to hear because I think hearing other people experiences really help motivate me. And remind me that it is possible

I am sure that many people will agree with me on this one but you score from 100 yards and in... but here is a little secret that I will share with you! You know those times when you are about to hit a shot and you are thinking to yourself "man, I am not sure about this?" They is your indicator that it is not a smart shot SO DON'T HIT IT! An 82 becomes a 79 when you don't hit into the hazard that one time, out of bounds that one time or short siding yourself in a bunker because you went after a retarded pin when you knew you shoul dhave hit the middle of the green... Good luck

I play every week with a guy who is about a 7 or 8. He was asking this same question about how to get consistently into the 70's. Looking at his game, I see several things that would turn him into a 70's player overnight.

1) He routinely underclubs. If he would take one more club on every approach shot, he would hit 4 more greens per round, minimum.
2) He doesn't get up and down enough. There were two times on Saturday where he was only 5 feet off the green (hit it short) with about 30 feet to the pin. He left his chips short by about 6 feet and missed both putts. He doesn't spend much time working on his chipping.
3) He 3-putted two greens from inside 30 feet. I've never seen him working on his lag putting.

There's at least 5 strokes he could have saved. He shot an 82, could easily have been 77. Chances are some of the same problems he has could apply to you. Analyze your game. Where are you leaking strokes? Shouldn't take long to figure out what you need to focus on, in order to improve.

Hi guys

Normdammarine i get that "im not sure about this" when i stand over every drive.Guess its just the doubt built up from 2 years of cronic slicing.Im confident I will sort out my driving in the off season im starting to hit the range twice a week at the moment which will probably build up to 3 or 4 time over next few months.Iv been driving alot better recently since iv been staring to droping the slot slot better.But the consistincy is really costing me a few shots at the moment.

Hi harmonius . Iv been reading Dave Pelz short game bible recently and it says something similar to what both of ye guys are saying that its 100 yards in and chipping and putting that are most important . But still when im at the range i found it hard to work on my short game just the lure of hitting balls really.Im a bit of a rake and beat type of player at the range.Dont get me wrong though i do pay attention its just i like to work at pace.Im not sure if i would feel right just turning up with wedges and a putter. Did you do that .? i guess if thats what it takes i would do it.

also i guess i used to believe that good putting really came from on course experience but im starting to think that really wrong.. even to the point of being stupid now.

also would ye consider tempo extreemly important? and why.
and also on the back 9 dose fatigue ever come into play for ye? i always seem to score bad on the back 9 .. not sure exactly why i do obviously feel a little tired from the front 9 but nothing really major?? or maybe its just because i scored well on the front 9 i get too excited and loose my concentration even though i dont really feel as if i do..

Short game/short game/short game-----100 yards and in.

For me it was chipping--getting up and down from 20 yards and in (from the green) was the key. That means chipping from a reasonable lie, from the rough, and sand bunkers.

Being confident you can get up and down from close in takes pressure off from the medium to long approach shots.

An added benefit is once the short game it will compensate for the gremlins that penetrate into the big swing game. Your scores will not have those great swings. (unless those gremlins are actually nasty trolls).

The quickest way is to sink more putts. At least for me.

I generally average 33.25 putts per 18, the one time I broke I had 30 putts.

also just to add i wanted to know anything specific to you that helped you break through not just advice.

although keep the advice coming too its really needed i must say i have learnt more in the two weeks on here reading threads than i have in the last year in magazine ect.

Pelz' Short Game Bible is "the Bible" for me. I've probably read it through a half dozen times, and each time I take away something new. Learn his methods for partial wedge shots and chipping, and you will do well. It took me several years to really get the feel for his teachings, maybe I'm a slow learner. But now, I have confidence that I can get up and down a majority of the time from any greenside lie, and about 90% of the time if it's just a routine chip shot.

It's fun to hit full out shots on the range, but if you truly want to shoot in the 70's (it's really only 5 strokes less than you are now) the short game and putting is the fastest way to do it. Even if it's only a half hour practice twice a week, you will make quick progress. Good Luck!

Yup.

It was simple for me. Start making those half dozen key puts from inside 10 feet that usually seperate an 82 from a 77

Getting on the putting green, putting for money on the practice green with buddies, setting up fun challenges etc. Whatever you need to do to get confidence on the green. Drive for show, putt for dough. :)

I have so much confidence in my short putts now that I expect to make most of them.

This over and over, as well as the inside 100 yards....I shot an 82 over the weekend, and had 34 putts!! I was putting for birdie several times, but 2 putted each and every time. One thing I have done recently is any par 4 under 400 yards just hit my 3 wood, it's down the middle goes 230 yards, when you are consistently in the fairway it gives you more confidence and is obviously easier to hit the green in regulation.

I've been in the 70's twice and both times it was due to driving the ball well off the tee which set up the rest of my game. When I get off the tee well, the rest of the game seems "easy" (relatively speaking of course). Be safe off the tee and look to capitalize on par 5's. Too me that's much easier and more realistic than going out there hoping to sink a bunch of long putts.

My first time breaking 80 was a 77, I had 35 putts that day. So it can be done without putting lights out. I hit a ton of greens, but not always right next to the flag. Lots of 2 putt pars. Had 2 birds, both on par 5's that I had hit great drives on, reached in 2 and then 2-putted.

Well.. This may help.
When I was 80s, I was concentrating on my swing and my shots. Now, I more relaxed and working against what architect laid out. Architect laid out 18 opportunities to tie/better.

According to my handicap, I remark the scorecard, In example, for me, I add a stroke to hcp 1-4 hole each, so my scorecard becomes par 76. Then, I play my game, just concentrating how I can beat the architect. If it is par 4, hcp 16, I place my teeshot to best place that I can shoot at the flag. If it is par 5, hcp 1, my par score there is 6. I don't try to reach it by 2 or do plan little conservatively for that hole.

Having that allowance on hardest holes, I tend to have realistic plan for each hole and swing more aggressively (within the plan). It help me to not forcing me to do stupid mistakes such as go for the flags every time which may put me into more trouble shots.

Thanks for the post, this is a really interesting way to approach the game and I have never thought of a round of golf in this manner, but I will for sure the next time out to see how it goes.

The only time I broke 80, was because I had 30 puts, instead of my normal 36ish. If you hit greens, you have to max 2 putt, if you miss greens, you have to max one putt.

And don't turn bogeys into snowmen. If Your drive goes into the fescue/trees, get it back in play, don't be a hero and try and hit the green, more often than not you'll hit sand, or leave it in the trees/fescue, then play your third shot like your normal second.

Besides getting up and down and making some putts, you have to avoid blow up holes. No more 7 or 8's on the scorecard. Make your worst miss cost you one stroke only - don't compound mistakes and keep the ball in play. It's easy to offset a bogey with one birdie or two pars. Offsetting doubles or worse get a bit tough.

I honestly can't think of anything specific that helped me to break 80. Keep at your game and eventually things will 'click'. My first time didn't really feel like anything special or like something was really on that day. It was just solid golf.

I like this answer.

For a previous discussion on this, check this thread out: http://thesandtrap.com/forum/threads...ing+short+game

That's a good thread, and there's been others that were similar and I chimed in on those and usually went against the grain....most feel short game is the answer...but I've never practiced short game ever and was able to get down a 9 hcp at one point last year. Not saying that's anything wonderful but it's decent golf for a weekend hack like me.

I think for the average weekend player who is trying to break 80, or 90 or whatever...most of the strokes are lost in the long game. I feel you need to have your long game in a place where your short game can mean something. I'm not saying my answer is "correct" but it's how I've chosen to approach improving. Plus, for me, better swing mechanics has translated to better chipping, pitching, bunker play, and even putting.

NO three putts and getting up and down when you miss the green.

Being that you are a 14, if you can get up and down more than 50% of the time, and never 3 putt, then you will turn those low 80's scores to high 70's scores.

All this said, the key to having easier putts and a better chance to get up and down is ball-striking.